bla bla bla again

chiacchere, bugie, frappe.. many names, just one taste, my favorite customer call them bla bla bla.. "could you make 30 bla bla bla pls?" i like this name!

Torta nera (black cake)

This cake is usually made in small village of Sologno for festa della cintura (belt party) it’s a mix of eggs, almonds, cocoa, candied orange, grounded coffee.. all we need is here guys! If you’re travelling in Tuscany I suggest a little trip to this little paradise, the only place where I can find fresh Parmigiano Reggiano.. oh la la.. if you haven’t tried it yet you really can’t miss it!

Some of you maybe would remember gnocco fritto, he also come from Sologno.. that’s the way we like it!

Tokyo cheesecake with tofu and ginger

perfect after a lovely maki dinner:-)

let it snow:-)

I feel so Russian with my perfect hat!

 

Versailles parc closed today..

 

a view of parc from gate

 

after 2 h walking on snow:-) my confort quotidien

brioche tarte with mascarpone and red fruits

This tarte is inspired by perfect Ottolenghi cookbook, I made it a little bit easier cause this morning I was in a rush but I wanted lunch’s customers have a taste of it! Base is a brioche dough rolled really thin, on the top mascarpone cream with a lot of red fruits.. everything baked in the oven for about 40 minutes, result is fresh, delicate and gourmand.. next time I’ll follow all the recipe and not just half of it.. I think it’d be amazing!

La galette des rois

 In Italy we don’t have “la galette des rois”, night between 5 and 6 of January we have a lovely tale about an old lady flying in the sky on her sweeper and bringing candies to ones who have been good during past year. When I was little I was in love with her and still now I like this legend so much. In France we don’t have this tale but a cake called “three kings cake” in honor of three magi kings of Epiphany. There is a little ceramic toy into cake and the one who find it is “the king”. Until ends of January you can find galette in every boulangerie of France.

Ok this part was easy, now let’s talk about how to make it.. puff pastry is the base of it and until you didn’t get “that turn” la galette des rois” can be a tricky game.

Dough: in a bowl mix 220ml water, 15 pinch of marine salt, 100g melted butter, 20g caster sugar and 410g flour. Work dough until you get this consistency, then reserve in fridge.

Hit 250g butter between 2 parchment foils until you get a rectangular, flat shape.

Put butter over dough and fold it as shown.

 

Roll it gently in a rectangular shape and fold it as shown in phase1. Roll it again in a rectangular shape and fold it again as shown in phase1.

 

phase1

 

phase1

 

phase1

Now roll it in a rectangular shape and fold it in a simple turn, as shown in phase2. Roll it again and fold it again in a simple turn as shown in phase2.

phase2

Cut dough in 2 parts and roll it in 2 discs of 1/2cm each.

Make almond cream filling: mix 70g soft butter, 70g caster sugar, 70g almond powder, 1 egg, 1tbsp rum and a pinch of vanilla extract until you get this consistency.

almond cream

Put it in one disc, stick the second disc over with a little bit of water. Fold edges and bake in preheated oven (185°C) for 50 minutes. When it comes out spread on it some syrup (boil 70g caster sugar with 70g water and a pinch of vanilla, then reserve)

 

 

 

 

If you arrived to the end and result is not too bad you are the king!
 

Happy new year.. wishing you an amazing 2013

yes its me!!

 Yes I’m still on time.. my mom says that its good till the end of January! So here we are, I didn’t forget you.. this blog is my little window with a view to the world, I’m enchanted to see how many people from U.S. and Russia are following my posts every day, so far so close. Sharing recipies, pastry tests, impressions.. I can’t get enough!

This 2013 I wish you to be fine and healthy. To fall into some culinary adventure and taste new flavors near your home or far away through the ocean. To make a trip inside your soul to find out new nuances and colors and discover a deeper relationship with nature, source of unlimited inspiration and mother of any form of life.